Electric can opener



March 23, 1954 w. H. TYLER ELECTRIC CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 1, 1950 Wayne H. Tyler INVENTOR.

March 23, 1954 w. H. TYLER 2,673,058 ELECTRIC CAN OPENER File'd Feb. 1,1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 10 Wayne H. 7jr/er IN V EN TOR.

A, B g 51W 8M0 Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,673,058 ELECTRIC CAN OPENER Wayne H. Tyler, Tucson, Ariz. ApplicationFebruary 1, 1950, Serial No. 141,667 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-313) Thisinvention comprises novel and useful improvements in an electric canopener and more specifically pertains to a power operated device forrotatably supporting a can and for rotating the can against a stationarycutter blade, together with means for holding the severed can top.

The primary objects of this invention are to provide in a power operatedcan opener, improved facilities for supporting and journaling the canand for rotating the same against a stationary cutter blade; to retainthe severed head of the can; to readily accommodate different sizes ofcans; and to reduce the friction and enhance the efiiciency of operationof the can opener.

The objects of the invention are attained by a can opener consisting ofa supporting base having a supporting standard rising therefrom,

means for adjustably securing a stationary cutter head to the standard;a relatively fixed abutment vertically adjustable upon the standard andhaving anti-friction means for engaging the side of a can; a movableabutment slidably adjustable upon the base and having anti-frictionmeans for engaging the opposite side of a can; anti-friction meanssupporting the bottom of a can; together with improved means forrotating a can when held between the fixed and movable abutments.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of theinvention which will later become apparent as the following descriptionpro-' ceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferredembodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a preferred construction ofcan opener embodying the principles of this invention, a can being shownin position in the opener for removal of its head; t

Figure 2 is a vertical central sectional view taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure 3 and illustratingcertain details of the cutter head, the reduction gearing thereof andthe fixed and movable abutments forming a part of the invention, a canbeing shown in dotted lines in the device;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon theplane indicated by the broken section line 3-3 of Figure 2 andillustrating certain details of construction of the reduction gearing;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon theplane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end view of the base of the opener, showingcertain details of the mounting of the movable abutment thereon;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the planeindicated by the section line 6-5 of Figure 7 and showing certaindetails of the locking means for adjustably securing the movableabutment to the base of the device; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 1-1 of Figure 3 and showingfurther details of the construction and mounting of the movable abutmentupon the base of the device. 7

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,attention is directed first to Figures 1 and 2, wherein it will be seenthat the apparatus illustrating the principles of this inventionpreferably comprises a fiat plate-like base 10 of any suitablecharacter, which is provided with a vertical supporting standard [2which may be conveniently in the form of a rod or tubular member.Slidable upon the standard l2 and adjustably secured in verticallyadjusted position thereon, is a cutter head assembly indicated generallyby the numeral l4.

Likewise vertically adjustable upon the standabutment IE while a movableabutment I8 is adjustably secured upon the base plate Ill and cooperateswith the fixed abutment for rotatably retaining therebetween a can 2bwhich the device is intended to open.

Referring now to Figure 4, it will be seen that the base H] has itsupper surface recessed to receive a plurality of anti-friction members22, which may conveniently be in the form of cylindrical rollers or thelike whose upper portions extend upwardly above the base [0, theserollers being disposed so as to receive and support the bottom of thecan 20, as will be apparent from Figures 1, 2 and 4.

The fixed abutment may conveniently com prise a plate-like body orbracket 24 having a hub,

portion or sleeve portion 26 which is slidably received upon thestandard !2. Secured to or if desired formed as integral part of theplate 2c, is an arcuately shaped member 28 having a concave cylindricalsurface which is suitably slotted as at 30 and has retained therein inany suitable manner a plurality of anti-friction cylindrical bearingrollers 32 which extend inwardly of the concave surface and are adaptedto rotatably engage and support the side of the can 29. i

The movable abutment l8 likewise includes a similarly shaped arcuatedmember 34 which is likewise provided with the anti-friction rollers 36,the members 34 and 28 being adapted to embrace the opposite sides of thecan 20 and by means of the anti-friction elements 32 and 36, inconjunction with the elements 22, support and retain the can forrotational movement about its longitudinal axis.

The Inovable abutment l8, as will be more apparent from Figures -7,includes a supporting block or bracket 38, which slides upon the uppersurface of the base 16 and is provided with adepending, wedge-shapedslide 40 which is retained for sliding movement lengthwise of adovetailed shaped channel 42 formed in the base 10, this channel havingupwardly and inclined side walls 44. Since this channel opens to the endof "the block, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that themovable abutment can be mounted upon the block by endwise insertion "ofthe depending slide 40in the openouter end of the channel 42. Preferablythe channel is disposed in alignment with the standard l2 so that themovable abutment may be moved toward and from the stationary abutmentand the standard l2.

A novel and advantageous means is provided for selectively locking themovable abutment to the channel 42 in longitudinally adjustedpositionsthereon. For this purpose, the member 38 is provided with a slot openingfrom its upper surface to its lower surface, and a pair of clutch levers'48 and extend through this slot and are pivotally connected to eachother and to the member '38 as by a transversely extending pivot pin'50,these clutch members having clutch'jaws 52 and 54 on their lower endswhich extend within the channel 42 and are engageable with the inclinedside walls thereof. As shown best in Figure 5, ar'esilient means such asa compression spring 56 yieldingly'urges' the clutch levers andconsequently the clutch jaws into engagement with the inclined walls tothereby frictionally lock or engage the movable abutment in adjustedposition upon the base I0.

Referring now to the cutter head assembly hi, it willbe seen that thelatterincludes a casing or housing 58, having a flathorizontallyextendinglower surface iimtowhich is detachably secured apermanent magnet 62 of any desired character for magnetically retainingth top of a can whe'n'the latter has been cut from the 'canby theoperation of this device, and to which is further secured the baseportion 54- of a depending can opener or knife blade 66.

A tapered or conical toothedroller' 63is provided for gripping the edgeor rim of a can and rotating the'sarne against the stationary cutter 53, this'roller being provided with an axl Hi which extends through thebottom wall iifijbeing joun naled therein in any suitable manner, and'is providedwith a gear 12 within the housing '58.

As will be apparent from FiguresZ and 3; a reduction gearing is providedwithin the housing 58 for rotating the gear 12' reduction gearingincludes a gear 14 meshing with the gear 12, th gear M having acoaxially disposed gear76 rigidly associated therewith. The gears M andmay conveniently be'fixedly sccured to a common shaft"!!! 'as will beapparent from Figures 2 and 3. The gear =16, in turn, meshes with a wormgear 8!] which is fixedly secured to a shaft 82 having one extremityjournaled in a supporting bracket 84 mounted upon the interior of thehousing 58. The other-vend of and the roller 68. This electric powersuch as by Adjacent the shaft 82 may be detachably secured to or ifdesired may form an integral part of the armature shaft of an electricmotor indicated generally by the numeral 86, and which may be of anydesired character, being provided with a customary speed controllingswitch 88, and being electrically connected to any suitable source ofelectric cables 90.

The entire cutter headassembly, including the electric motor 8B which isdetachably secured to a flange upon the cutter head assembly, as byfastening screws 92, is adjustably slidable upon the standard 12. Forthis purpose, the housing 58 is provided with a vertically extendingtubular portion '94which constitutes a sleeve slidable upon the standardI2 as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

v its upper end, this sleeve is provided with a laterally extendinghousing 96 having a lateral bore 98 therein opening into the borereceiving the standard, [2. A pair of locking levers I00 and 102 arepivotally mounted in the lateral bore '98, as upon pivot pins IE4 and1%, and are provided with adapted for wedging engagement upon thesurfaceof the standard 12. A suitable compression spring H2 yieldingly urges thlevers Idil and IE2 away from each other orinposition to wedge the jawsagainst the standard, whereby the cutter head may belocked'in'verticallyadjusted position.

The fixed standard '24, above mentioned, may be adjustably mounted'uponthe-standardjlfi "by the same type of clutch construction .just.described with respect to thecutter'head. Such a construction hasbeen-indicated in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the clutch levers H10 and H12.have been indicated.

'From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the devicewill'be readily understood and further explanation-is, believed to beunnecessary. It will be seen that the apparatus will'accommodate readilydifferent sizes of cans, will rotatably support the base of the can,retain the sides'of thecan'whilethe sameare being revolved againstastationary:cutter-blade.

It is not intended to limitthe-inventionto the exact construction shownand described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents 'may beresorted to, falling within-the scope-ofthe appended claims.

Having described the claimed asnew is:

l. A can opener-comprising a-base, rneansior rotatably supporting a canuponsaid base,=said supporting means including a fixed abutment having acylindrical concaveface for receiving the sideof a-c'an, astandard onsaid base, said fixed abutment being vertically movable upon saidstandard, locking means for retaining said fixed abutment in-verticallyadjusted position on said standard, said locking means comprising a pairof levers pivoted to saidfixed abutment, toothed jaws onsaid leverswedgeably engageable with said standard and'resilientmeans urginginvention, what I is said jaws into wedged engagement with saidstandard.

2. A canopener comprising a base, means for rotatably supporting-acanupon said base,-said supportingmeans including a fixed abutment and amovable abutment for rotatably: retaining thesides of a cantherebetween, means 'for's1id ably and guidably securing said movableabutment to said base for rectilinear movement thereon, said meanscomprising a. channel in said base having inwardlyinclined'esidewalls,*a' slide toothed jaws Hi8 and Hilwhich are,

and. will rotatably depending from said movable abutment and slidablyretained in said channel.

3. A can opener comprising a base, means for rotatably supporting a canupon said base, said supporting means including a fixed abutment and amovable abutment for rotatably retaining the sides of a cantherebetween, means for slidably and guidably securing said movableabutment to said base for rectilinear movement thereon, said meanscomprising a channel in said base having inwardly inclined side walls, aslide depending from said movable abutment and slidably retained in saidchannel, a pair of clutch arms pivoted to said movable abutment andhaving clutch fingers extending into said channel for engagement withsaid inclined walls.

4. A can opener comprising a base, means for rotatably supporting a canupon said base, said supporting means including a fixed abutment and amovable abutment for rotatably retaining the sides of a cantherebetween, means for slidably and guidably securing said movableabutment to said base for rectilinear movement thereon, said meanscomprising a channel in said base having inwardly inclined side walls, aslide depending from said movable abutment and slidably retained in saidchannel, a pair of clutch arms pivoted to said movable abutment and withsaid walls.

WAYNE H. TYLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 54,668 Baldwin May 15, 1866 936,927 McCallum Oct. 12, 19091,207,883 Dugan Dec. 12, 1916 1,409,650 Beedham Mar. 14, 1922 1,441,652Andrae Jan. 9, 1923 1,742,069 Greenwald Dec. 31, 1929 1,823,608 KalkonisSept. 15, 1931 1,884,120 Mross Oct. 25, 1932 2,248,513 Riley July 8,1941 2,388,950 Booth Nov. 13, 1945 2,456,307 Noblett Dec. 1-4, 19482,503,102 Edlund Apr. 4, 1950 2,518,190 Scieri Aug. 8, 1950 2,532,898Drugman Dec. .5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 325,454Germany Sept. 14, 1920

